The extra mile (of track).

Depending on your background, where you live, and your personal predilections, you may or may not be used to any kind of overnight noise. When staying in a hotel, this is a concern for any guest. Even if you frequently stay in hotels, each new location is an unfamiliar environment, and humans just like any animal are predisposed to be less comfortable in a place they don’t know.

Because there are railroad tracks that run nearby the Courtyard Tempe Downtown, the planning group for FUDCon Tempe wanted to do a little extra to make your stay comfortable. We bought disposable earplugs (the kind you can roll and insert) — you can pick up a pair Friday night to help you sleep easier.

It’s impossible to predict whose sleep is bothered by train noise. For example, my family stayed once at a bed and breakfast located right next to the old L&N railroad line where it ran through downtown Henderson, Kentucky. During our stay, my wife didn’t seem to have much problem sleeping through the train noise. (It’s probably fair to say she’d been conditioned over years of my snoring.) On the other hand, it really bugged me and our kids, so we gave them earplugs. Problem solved!

Anyway, just wanted to let people know that we had comfort aid available for anyone who thinks they might need it. If you decide to use earplugs, though, remember to turn your alarm device up so that you can hear it! We’ll be opening FUDCon promptly at 9:00am Saturday.